From
Mooloolaba (can’t believe I missed posting about my fantastic b-day which
included a day at the zoo and an amazing dinner on Catachaos…) we sailed into Morton Bay
and on to Brisbane
River. Anchoring near the
river mouth at sunset we could see the city’s high rises glowing in the
distance.
“It really
is a city.” I said to Evan.
After not
seeing one for a while, cities can become mythical places. They seem
unreal. And the next morning while winding our way up the river—watching as the
landscape changed from wilderness, to industry, to suburb, to metropolis—reality, our reality, began to kick in.
I’ve never
felt as small on my boat as I did as we motored up the river past the city
centre. Even in the middle of the ocean, on the worst days, our boat felt
bigger. But here—against the backdrop of modern glass and steel I felt like our
story shrank and became ordinary. And rather than being a magic ship that
carried us through wondrous places our boat simply looked grubby and fragile.
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| good reason to boat in company--you get shots of those memorable moments |
We looked
for a place to anchor; overwhelmed as we bypassed all the options until we
reached a low bridge and could go no further. So we consulted with C4, who were
in an equal state of dépaysement, despite this being their home country,
and we dropped our anchors—here at the edge of the botanical garden, where the
greenery and bird song can almost convince me that my million neighbours are an
illusion.
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| the kids have playgrounds but still go for the trees (and yes to those who know the kids, that is Sasha--Hadar is near by) |
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| one of the parks that is a short walk away |
I never made it to shore that first day.
And on the second I failed to leave the confines of the
botanical garden.
By the third day I was ready to put on real shoes and
venture into the downtown streets in search of groceries and clothes pins.
And by today I was ready to explore.
Dépaysement fades. And unfamiliar places become comfortable.
And Brisbane
seems like it might be a nice place to call home.
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| moments from my lovely birthday--check Maia's and Connect 4's November blogs for more of the story |
4 comments:
If you arrived before evening on the 3rd, you might have been serenaded by Stevie Nicks & Dave Stewart from the River stage if you were anchored near the gardens! Welcome to our fair city :D There are so many great things to see & do here, how long are you staying?
We were serenaded--it was fantastic! Thanks for the nice welcome. We'll be here for a few months--at least.
Hey Evan, Mom said that you tried to email me but I didn't get it...try
gatehouse68@gmail.com
Excellent Evan! Brisbane is a terrific place with tons on offer... You'll love it here :) I've enjoyed reading about your travels across the Pacific... Look forward to seeing how you enjoy life in Oz!
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